Isaac d



N M d 1. N) 1.1). AIKIN- SPEED REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC GARS.

, No. 546,062. Patented Sept. 10,1895.

Elm/vent UNITED STATES IATENT amen.

ISAAC D. AIKlN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,062, dated September 10, 1895.

Application filed May 4, 1895 Serial No. 548,083. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ISAAC D. AIKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Regulators for Electric Cars; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for regulating the speed of cars driven by electricity; and its object is to restrain the velocity of such cars within prescribed limits.

In the accompanying drawingsavherein like letters represent like parts, Figure 1 is a plan view from above of my invention applied to an electric-motor truck. Fig. 2 shows the electrical connections of the extra resistancecoils and the pivoted arm brought into contact therewith, and Fig. 8 shows a plan of the engagement between the governing device and the pivoted piece in contact with the extra rheostat.

Considering Fig. 1, A represents the main rheostat with which all electrically-driven cars are provided.

B represents the pivoted arm adapted to move over and effect contact with the various resistance-coils of the main rheostat, cutting them out successively to increase the supply of current to the motors.

0 represents an extra series of resistancecoils, which may be supported by the frame of the truck in a convenient position.

D represents a pivoted piece provided with two arms or branches, one of which 01 brushes the contact-points of the extra resistances C, while the second arm d, by means of a longigitudinal slot 61 situated near its outer extremity, receives motion from a centrifugal governor, as more particularly set out herein after.

E represents one of the axles of the cartruck, and F marks a fixed collar encircling the axle.

G represents spring-pieces connecting the fixed collar F with the weights I-I, similar spring-pieces joining the weights H with the movable sleeve K upon the said axle. A pin projects from the sleeve K and engages the slot 01 in the arm d of the pivoted piece D. The movement of the sleeve K is limited in one direction by the second fixed collar f upon the axle and in the opposite direction by the tension of the springs G.

J represents the motors swung to the axles and frame of the truck in the usual manner.

L represents the drums terminating the ends of the upright shafts located upon each platform of the car and by which the pivoted arm B is operated through the agency of the cable M and the pulleys N.

The mounting of the motors, the electrical connections, and the principal series of resistance-coils are all of the usual construction and operation, excepting that the current in its path to the motors is led through the insulated arm 01 of the pivoted piece D to the first contact-plate upon the extra resistances and thence directly to the motors without passing through either of the coils of the extra rheostat. When the car is stationary or moving under the limit of speed, no obstacle to the passage of the current is met with. When, however, the velocity of the car exceeds the limit for which the apparatus is arranged, the separation of the weights by centrifugal force and the consequent movement'of the pivoted piece D interpose one or more of the extra resistance-coils between the source of current and the motors. As the speed of the car decreases, the springs G regain control of the weights and the extra resistance to the flow of the current is removed. The masses of the weights H, it will be understood, are so fixed with relation to the springs G that the former commence their movement from each other only when the number of revolutions of the axle F exceeds a certain set maximum per unit of time.

I am aware that it is not new to throw resistances into motor or generator circuits and to cut them out by means of centrifugallyoperating governors, and I do not claim those features broadly.

What I do claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A speed regulator for electric cars having in combination with the propelling motors,

main rheostat and hand-operatingdevices, an movable upon the axle of the car, and the [0 independent box of resistance coils supportcentrifugal governor substantially as and for ing, pivotally, the piece, D, provided with the the purposes shown and described.

insulated arm, (1, forming a part of the motor In testimony whereof I affix my signatn re 5 circuit and adapted to be brought into 0011- in presence of two Witnesses.

tact with each of the said coils, the said piv- ISAAC D. AIKIN.

oted piece possessing a second arm, d, slotted Witnesses:

near its outer end to engage the pin, 7.3, pro- ADOLPH BALSGHUN, J12,

jecting from the sleeve, K, the said sleeve ROBERT H. AGNEW. 

